Good night
by Zadred212
Summary: It puzzles Raven why the Nine-tailed Fox always wants to sleep next to him. (Raven x Eun) (Characters may be OOC)


An old oneshot for a Valentine event. I still need improvement, so please R&R~.

GOOD NIGHT

"Raven~"

Calculating quickly in my head, I wrote the result down. My pen ran quickly on paper, creating a scratching, and slightly annoying, sound.

"Raven~"

Withdrawing my pen, I put the paper on a small stack to my left. Taking another paper from another stack to my right (its size was absurd compared to its counterpart, by the way), I placed it in front of me and began to scan through its content.

A pair of soft, slender arms wrapped around my neck. Something...bountiful was pressed against my back, causing me no small amount of discomfort. I sighed in exasperation. Honestly, that sly fox.

"You are ignoring me, Raven~."

With another sigh of the damned, I carefully closed my pen, gently put it over the still unfilled form and turned to address the girl.

"Why are you even here, Eun..."

Of course, my question went unanswered, as with a happy smile, she proceeded to tackle hug me out of my chair.

"Finally~. You notice me senpai~."

...Honestly, where did she find those jokes from...

"If it's about age, then you're even old- Hugh!"

Before I could even manage to finish my sentence, an elbow was driven into my stomach. Slowly withdrawing after her sudden strike, the girl smiled slightly, revealing her canine teeth. I began to sweat.

"It's rude to talk about a girl's age, you know~."

Barely managed to nod, I groaned again, half in pain and half in exasperation. What's with my luck, really...

Divine.

It was my first impression of her.

Silvery white hair brightened under the moonlight. Ruby like eyes gleaming in the dark, a single thread of black slitting each's center. Posture straight, unbending. Confidence radiated from her every single gesture.

On her head was also a pair of fox ears. Three red whiskers adorned each of her cheek. And behind her back, nine tails swung back and forth freely, announcing her nature to the world.

A Nine-tailed fox. A Kumiho.

Dangerous.

...But her outfit. I recognized it.

My sword, held relaxed at my side, slowly moved up until it reached eye level, its tip pointed at the identified threat. My knee bent slightly, preparing to let me burst forth at any moment's notice.

In response to it, she twirled her- no, Ara's spear slightly before pointing it at me, a seductive smile on her lips.

It almost took me effort to shake off that smile.

Dangerous.

Cautiously, I called out.

"What have you done with Ara?"

Her eyes widened with an "Oh?". The spear, vigil in her hand, suddenly became relaxed. The dangerous expression resided on her face vanished like smoke, its place taken by a slightly...mischievous smile?

"My vessel? There you go~."

Huh?

A yellow-black flame consumed her body. When it finally released its grasp, all traces of the fox had left Ara's body, and she fell, unconscious, probably due to the strain of supporting a power she never meant to wield. The next moment I was next to her, my arms supporting her limp body.

'Take good care of her~. Oh, and watch where you are touching~.'

I let out an exasperated groan as Ara's bountiful...asset pressed against my arm. I walked right into it, didn't I?

'Yes, yes you did.'

No one asks you, you damn fox.

After that, everything was a blur. Ara woke up, and I told her about everything: the demon attack, the destruction of Fahrmann village, and the fox. I also told her about other attacks of those wretched creatures, in other parts of Elrios. In exchange, she told me about details of this particular attack, and about her brother.

She requested to join the El Search Party.

I agreed.

"Ugh..."

With a groan, I opened my eyes. A quiet command materialized a holographic screen in front of my left eyes.

"6:00..."

I muttered, and realized that my vision was slightly blurry. Reaching up and wiping away whatever was shrouding my field of view, I froze when the back of my hand came down wet.

The dreams of last night returned again. Seris' death. The unending slaughter. Bloodshed. Fire.

A monster, killing and killing and killing and killing in an ocean of chaos and death.

With a shake of my head, I dismissed that memory. It would serve no purpose to drown in sorrow and regret.

But still...

A short sigh. I sat up and-

I couldn't sit up, as a pair of arms were wrapped around my stomach. Pale, slender fingers softly dug into my shirt, causing goosebumps to run across my body.

"Huh...?"

Silently, I lifted the blanket up. Under it was Ara, no, the Kumiho sleeping peacefully, on her face a content smile.

...

...

...the hell?

As if hearing my question, she stirred, then sluggishly sat up, arms stretching cutely to her side.

"*yawn* Morning~. I'm Eun~."

The option of suicide had never been more tempting than that moment.

Ever since then, she had been sneaking into my bed every night. Of course I tried to stop it, but each morning, when I woke up, she would be next to me, a foxy grin on her face.

"Let me sleep with you~."

With a tired sigh, I gestured the stack of paperwork.

"I still have things to do. I don't think I'll sleep tonight."

"Eh? But Raven-"

"Just...go to sleep."

I waved sluggishly, silently asking her to go out. With a nod, she left, her shoulders slightly slumped.

A sad smile was on her face.

"Ah, screw this."

Half an hour later, I carelessly dropped my still uncapped pen onto the document I was working on. It rolled slightly, leaving a trace of ink on paper.

By the time the pen balanced itself, my chair was already empty.

"Honestly..."

With a slight mutter of exasperation, I rapped thrice on Ara's door. Why did I even care...

"W...who...?"

Eun's voice called out in response. There was a slight hitch in her tone. Why...?

"...Eun?"

I asked softly, hesitation lacing my voice.

"...Ra...ven..."

A small click signaled the open of the door. Eun peeked out, red eyes gleaming in the dark, like shards of ruby.

I scratched my head, unsure what to say.

"Erh...I come here to...uhm...how should I put it...?"

"...you are...so hopeless..."

Eun chuckled. It looked so fit, yet so out of place on her tear-stained face.

"...Ah...come in Raven..."

With a nod, I silently stepped past her, and, just as silently, she closed the door behind my back. A single 'click' echoed thorough the dark room.

"...I thought you wouldn't sleep?"

Eun spoke first. Without its mischievous edge, her voice was strangely melodious.

"I...decided against it."

Promptly, a smile appeared on her face.

"You are such a tsundere, Raven~."

...and there we go again.

Letting out a groan, I turned away from her, huffing under my breath. Another string of laughter escaped her mouth, and she rubbed her cheek against my shirt, as her embrace tightened.

"Nya~~."

...oi.

"Hey, Eun..."

I paused. There was, something, I wanted to ask her. But, I hesitated. I...don't know why, but there was a feeling that I shouldn't say it.

"Yes...?"

The white-haired girl raised her head slightly, confusion clear in her voice.

Relenting to my curiousity, I asked it anyway.

"That night...when we first met...why did you...?"

Even now, I couldn't comprehend that action. There was just no logic that can properly explain that action.

"Ah...that..."

At the mention of it, her cheery mood disappeared. I felt her nails digging into my chest deeply, drawing a bit of blood. While her face was out of view, I could feel a sad expression on it.

"I'm sor-"

"No, Raven. Let me answer it."

She cut off my apology with a steady voice before I could even finish it. There was sorrow in her tone, but there was also firmness and determination. Respecting her choice, I closed my mouth and listened.

"I...can't remember anything. Of my family. If I even had one."

"The first memory I had...is of total darkness."

"I didn't know anything back then. I didn't know who I was, why there was nothing, what happened. I couldn't comprehend, couldn't understand a thing. I only knew that there was only darkness."

"At first, I was just curious. I walked around, tried to do things and somehow awakened my power."

"After that, there was amazement. I was amazed how I could do those things, without a slightest bit of effort. I fervently experimented with my power, wanting to see my limits."

"Then, a century, or was it two? I didn't know, as the concept of time doesn't exist, later, and I reached every limit possible."

"Boredom came. Then, with it, fear."

"I didn't know what I was fearing. I didn't know death. I didn't understand loneliness. But fear I did. And it was...not a good feeling."

"I...nearly went mad, Raven. Alone...in that seal...I...I..."

I wrapped my arms around her shaking shoulders. She looked up, surprised, her eyes still wet with tears. I smiled reassuringly and ran my hand through her silvery hair. They felt like silk on my palm.

"You don't have to. Don't force yourself."

With a small sound of disagreement, she buried her head into my chest. I felt a bit uncomfortable about it, but said nothing.

"I...have to. Please...just listen..."

Facing with those begging eyes, as well as those words, what could I do but nod?

"Ah...thank you...Raven..."

"Where was I again? Ah...yes...if I stayed in there just...just a bit longer...I'd be...driven mad..."

"Ara don't know it...but I owe her...as much as she owe me...maybe even more..."

"I...was really happy...when Ara found me. I finally...could see something other than darkness and my own power. I could see the moon. I could see the ruin of the temple. I could see...everything."

"It was her memory which allowed me to truly understand feelings. I know what I fear now. Loneliness. Stagnation. I feared that...nothing would change, that I would simply rot in there, in that thing human call a seal..."

"That night...I was afraid. Afraid...that...if I were to close my eyes...everything...would fade away...like a dream...I don't want it to end...not like that..."

"I was also scared...of the loneliness. I didn't want to be alone...in the dark...again. So, I snuck into your blanket...and slept..."

"You know the rest, right?"

I nodded. My hand had been running through her silvery threads the entire time. They felt strangely soft and comfortable.

"Ah, so that's it."

"Yeah...what a stupid story, right?"

I let out a sigh. Withdrawing my arm from her head, I flicked her forehead hard. Surprised, she couldn't react, and received the full force of it.

"Hwaaaa...why?"

I almost chuckled at the sight of the Millenium Fox holding her forehead and whining in pain. She looked absurdly adorable.

"Because you are such an idiot."

I gave Eun a smile. She responded with one, a thousand time more radiant than mine.

"I guess I am~."

We looked at each other.

Then we laughed. Like children, without a care about the world.

How long had it been since I last laughed like this? I wondered silently, my laugh, mixed with hers, echoeing in the silent room.

There was another question.

"Why me?"

"Because you were crying."

I flinched. The memories of Seris once again surfaced in my mind. Happy memories. Sad memories.

Her death.

"Raven."

Eun's surprisingly strong voice broke me out of my thought. Blinking, I realized that my eyes were wet.

"Please don't cry."

A soft, slender hand cupped over my cheek. Another gently wiped away my tears. I froze, unable to form a proper response.

"You took away my tears. This time, please let me take yours."

Eun, already climbed on my body, leaned forward. At this distance, I could notice every single detail I had missed: The way her soft breath tickled my neck, the way her smile looked so radiant-

Gently, I pushed her away. She put up no resistance.

"I..."

"It's okay, Raven. I was rude."

There was a hint of sadness in her voice. I pretended I didn't notice it.

"Thank you, Raven."

"...Thank you too, Eun."

I lowered my head and let my lips touch her forehead. If it was her, I could allow myself this much. She turned away, obviously embarrassed. I chuckled.

"Let-let's just sleep already!"

"What a tsundere~."

"And stop mocking me!"

Honestly, she was just too fun to tease. If I wasn't careful, I might get addicted to this.

"Anyway, night Eun."

"Night~"

I woke up first, just like always. To my side, Eun was snoring softly, her arms wrapping around my chest.

With a smile, I checked the time.

6:00 A.M.

The numbers were clear, not shrouded behind a watery veil anymore.

Gingerly, I touched my eyes with my human arm. It came back dry.

I didn't cry.

With a slight shake of my head, I smiled at the sleeping Eun again.

"Thank you...very much..."

...then I remembered the paperworks.

"...fuck my life."


End file.
